Apparatus for peeling tomatoes



4 Shets-Sheetl' M. W. LOWE APPARATUS FOR FEELING TOMATOES {Hun} fff INVENTOR.

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MARK w. Lows r. ,di #'75 Jan. 18, 1955 original Filled 9ct.

Jan. 18, 1 955 original Filed oct.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 MARK W. LOWE ,9 frog/yan1 Jan. 18, 1955 M. w. LowE 2,699,808

APPARATUS FOR FEELING TOMATOES Y original Filed Oct. e, 19414 4sheets-sheet s Jan. 18, 1955 M. w. L 'owE 2,599,808 Y APPARATUS `F'OR `FEELING TOMATOES Original Filed Oct. 6, 1944y 4 Sheets-Sheet `4 fly-f f I l l I l I 1 United States Patent* APPARATUS FOR PEELING TOMATOES Mark W. Lowe, Connersville, Ind.

Original application October 6, 1944, Serial No. 557,410, now Patent No. 2,609,022, dated September 2, 1952. Divided and this application August 18, 1952, Serial No. 307,515

4 Claims. (Cl. 146--43) In my prior application, Serial No. 557,410 (now Pat` ent No. 2,609,022, granted September 2, 1952), I disclosed a tomato peeling machine comprising a drum having in its wall one or more helical slots through which tomatoes within the drum were exposed to the action of various agents promoting the peeling action. The machine comprised three sections which may for convenience be designated as the scarifying section, the scalding section, and the peeling section. In the scarifying section, sharply pointed elements mounted outside the drum operated on surfaces of tomatoes exposed by the slots to pierce and cut the skins of the tomatoes. In the scalding section, a jet of heated uid was directed inwardly of the drum through each helical slot therein, such jet progressing axially to maintain its alignment with the slot. In the third section of the machine, the tomatoes were exposed through the helical slots in the drum to the action of peeling rollers. This present application is directed to the mechanism employed in the peeling section of the machine.

It is an object of the invention to produce an improved form of mechanism for use in removing the loosened skins of tomatoes or other fruits and vegetables. A further object of the invention is to produce peeling mechanism which will remove loosened skins from fruits or vegetables with a minimum amount of damage to the fruits and vegetables themselves.

In carrying out the invention in the preferred form, the machine embodies a rotating drum-type conveyor having one or more helical slots in its wall. My improved peeling mechanism is located near the discharge end of such a conveyor. Between the peeling mechanism and the receiving end of the conveyor, means are provided for loosening the skins of tomatoes and for par` tially separating such skins from the bodies of the tomatoes. The peeling mechanism comprises a series of peeling rollers each mounted of the drum, and all rollers being-arranged beneath the drum in an arcuate series conforming closely to the exterior shape of the drum. The rollers are arranged in pairs with the two rollers of each pair contacting each other, and means are provided for rotating the rollers in such directions that the engaging surface portions of the two rollers of each pair move away from the drum whereby skins projecting through the helical slot in the drum will be gripped between the two rollers of each `pair and stripped from the fruit.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention: Figs. l, 2, and 3 are side elevations respectively of the three sections of a complete tomato-peeling machine; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the receiving end of the machine with the suppiy chute removed; Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a fragmental side elevation of the scalding means on an enlarged scale; Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section on the line 7--7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a plan View of the `peeling mechanism; Fig. 9 is a rear end elevation of the peeling mechanism; and Fig. l0 is a fragmental axial section on an enlarged scale showing a preferred construction of the drum and the manner in which it is associated with the peeling rollers.

' The machine shown in the drawing comprises a frame which rotatably supports a drum designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 16. Such` drum is provided interiorly with one or more helical ribs, adapted to cause `tomatoes to be fed axially through the drum as it` on an axis parallel to the axis` ICC is rotated, and with generally circumferentially extending slots through which the tomatoes are exposed to the action of various means located outside the drum. Preferably, the drum 16 is formed, as more fully shown and described in my prior Patent No. 2,332,093, of a plurality of helically coiled rods 17 (Fig. l0) covered by strips 19 of rubber or similar elastic material each formed centrally to embrace a rod 17 and extending toward the strips of adjacent rods to leave helical slots 18. As shown, the drum comprises four of the rods 17 and strips 19, but this number may be varied as desired.

At intervals along its length, the drum 16 is provided exteriorly with supporting rings 20 to each of which the rods 17 are secured. Each ring 20 is formed exteriorly with an annular groove 22 adapted to receive supporting rollers 24 rotatably mounted on the frame 15.

For the purpose of driving the drum, the rings 20 respectively carry ring gears 26, each of which meshes with a pinion 2S rigidly mounted on a shaft 30 which extends longitudnially of the frame 15 and which is adapted to be driven by any suitable means. ln addition to the pinions 28 meshing with the gears 26, the shaft 30 may be provided with rolls 32 received in the grooves 22 of the respective rings 20. The rolls 32 are loosely mounted on the shaft 30 so that they may rotate relatively thereto.

As the drum rotates, in a counter-clockwise direction (Figs. 4, 5, and 7), tomatoes supplied to the inlet end through a supply chute 33 will be fed axially through the drum by the action of the helical ribs on the strips 19. Rotation of the drum causes the tomatoes to be carried upwardly for a distance from the lowest point of the drum, and the tomatoes then slide or roll downwardly. This movement, augmented by the action of the scarifying and other external means hereinafter described, produces a tumbling action by which substantially all portions of tllle slr'ace of each tomato will be presented toward the s ots ln the first section of the machine, in which the tomatoes are scarited to break their skins, I mount in association with the lower portion of the drum a shaft 40 i which extends longitudinally of the frame 15 and is rotatably supported therefrom. The shaft 40 is desirably located slightly below the highest point attained by the tomatoes in the rotation of the drum. The shaft 40 carries means adapted to project through the slots 18 and engage the tomatoes within the drum 16. As shown, such means comprises a helical rib 41 integral with the shaft 40 and provided on its outer surface with a multiplicity of relatively sharp projections 42. The rib 41 is of opposite hand to the strips 19, so that by rotating the shaft 40 at the proper speed and in a direction opposite to that in which the drum rotates the rib 41 will not interfere with drum-rotation. In the particular construction shown, there are four of the strips 19 in the drum 16 and one rib 41 on the shaft 40 and the pitch of the rib is one-fourth that of each of the strips 19. In order that the pitch-angle of the rib may approximate that of the slots 18, the outer diameter of the shaft 40 is onefourth that of the drum; and in order that the rib may remain in the slots 18 as the drum rotates, the shaft 40 is driven at a rotational speed four times that of the drum.

.For the purpose of driving the shaft 40, it is provided with a drive gear 44 which meshes with an idler pinion 45 rotatably supported from a bracket 46 mounted on the main frame 15. The idler pinion 45 meshes with a gear 47 rigidly mounted on a shaft 48 which is rotatablyjsupported in the bracket 46. The shaft 48 carries a gear 49 meshing with one of the ring gears 26 on the drum 16.

As the tomatoes carried upwardly by rotation of the drum and come into contact with the rib 41 and the teeth 42 carried thereby. The teeth break the skins of the tomatoes, and in addition tend to lift them clear of the strips 19. This lifting action of the teeth promotes a tumbling of the tomatoes and tends to prevent each tomato from sliding on the inner surface of the strips 19 with the same portion of its surface always presented toward the slot 18.

After having been subjected tothe action of the teeth 42 on the shaft 40, the tomatoes continue their passage through thedrumand come into ,contact with jets of steam pass through the machine they are Y Y illustrated-in Figs. 3, 8 and 9.

or hot` water. lConveniently, these jets arey provided by the means illustrated in Figs. 2, 5, 6, and 7. As shown in those figures, there is disposed at one side of the drum 16 a longitudinally extending casing 60 enclosing a shaft 61 and provided on that side closest to the drum 16 with a longitudinally extending slot 62. The shaft 61 is mounted eccentrically in the casing 60 so that its outer surface overlies the inner end of the slot 62. In the outer surface of the shaft 61, I provide a helical groove 63 of a pitch corresponding to the spacing of adjacent turns of the strips 19. The interior of the casing 60 is connected, as through a conduit 65, with a source of steam under pres- Sure.

Steam Supplied to the casing 60 through the conduit 65 may escape therefrom at the points where the helical groove 63 crosses the slot 62, the steam entering the slot 62 by traveling in both directions toward it through the groove 63. By proper spacing of the turns of the helical groove 63, and by rotating the shaft 61 in the proper di-V rection and at the proper speed, there are provided a plurality of steam jets, each discharging from the slot 62 into a slot 18 and moving along the slot 62 at a speed which maintains it opposite the associated slot 18.

For the purpose of rotating the shaft 61, it may be provided with a reduced journal 66 which extends outwardly through a stuffing box 67 in an end wall of the casing 60 and which, beyond such end wall, has a gear 68 secured to it. The gear 68 is driven through an appropriate train of gearing from one of the ring gears 26 on the drum 16. As shown, the gear train is similar to that employed to rotate the shaft 40 previously described.

In the device of the drawings there is a single groove 63 in the shaft 61, the pitch of this groove corresponding to the spacing of adjacent strips 19 in the drum 16. As there are four of the strips 19 in the drum, the shaft 61 therefore rotates at four times the speed of the drum 16. Although not essential, I prefer to make the groove 63 of opposite hand to the strips 19, and the shaft 61 therefore rotates in a direction opposite to that of the drum 16. The gear Vtrain previously referred to is designed to rotate the shaft 61Y at the proper speed and in the proper direction.

As the tomatoes pass through that portion of the drum 16 coextensive with the shaft 61, jets of steam enter the slots 18 and strike the tomatoes whose surfaces are exposed through those such tomatoes, the skins of which have previously been broken by the action of the teeth 42, tends to shrink the skins and causes them to split. In addition, if the slot 62 is located near the highest point attained by the tomatoes in the rotation of the drum 16, as it is in the machine of the drawings, the steam jets acting on the tomatoes will appreciably augment the tumbling action. Further, the impact of the steam jets on the loosened skins will tend to peel them from the body of the tomatoes.

It is not necessary that the fiuid supplied to the casing 60 be steam, as hot water will also be effective. In assisting the tumbling action andrtending to tear the skins from the tomatoes, the action of the jets emitted from the slot 62 is independent of the temperature of the fluid; but I prefer to use fluid of elevated temperature because of its effect in facilitating removal of the skins.

After having been subjected to the action of the steam jets, the tomatoes pass into association with peeling mechanism designed toV effect complete removal of the skins. The peeling mechanism which I prefer to employ is that It comprises pairs of peelingV rollers 80 rotatably supported from and extending longitudinally of the frame 15. As will be clear from Fig. 9, the pairs of rollers80 are arranged, transversely of the machine, on an are substantially concentric with slots. The action of such steam onV the axis of the drum 16 and as close as conveniently possible to the exterior surface of such drum.

For its working length, each of the rolls is faced. with rubber or similar elastic'material, and the rolls of Y each pair are spaced aparta distance such that thisrrubber facing is compressed.V The two rolls of each pair are drivenV in opposite directions so Vthat the interengaging portionslof their faces move generally downwardly, or away from they drum 16. As the tomatoes pass through the drum opposite the rollers 80, their loosened skins drop through the slots 18 to become pinched between the'two rolls Silof each pair and thereby pulled downwardlyaway from thetomatoes.

For the purpose of Vdriving' each pair of rollers 80, I.

provide a drive gear 81. The several vdrive gears 81 are desirably driven by a common driving means, here shown as of the chain-and-sprocket variety. As will be clear from Fig. 9, each of the drive gears is rotatable with a shaft 82 to which a sprocket 83 is fixed, and a drive chain 84 is associated in common with all sprockets 83. in order lto secure an adequate arc of contact on each sprocket 83, the chain is desirably arranged as shown in Fig. 9, passing between and engaging opposite sides of adjacent sprockets. In addition to engaging the sprockets 83 the chain 84 also engages a drive sprocket 85 and two idlers 86 and S7. One of the idlers, here shown as the idler 87, is adjustable to tighten the chain. The sprocket 85 may be driven in any convenient manner.

The two rollers 80 of each pair are drivingly interconnected by pinions 90 of equal diameter and one of them is provided with a pinion 91 engaging the associated drive gear 81. The roll bearing the pinion 91 is so selected as to impart toeach roll rotation in the desired direction above described.

In order to avoid the necessity for longitudinally extending stiffening members supporting the strips 19 between the rings 20, which stiffening members would partially occlude the slots 18, I provide between the rings 20 supporting rollers 93. Such rollers are mounted in the frame 15 on opposite sides of the drum and support the weight of the strips 19 and of the tomatoes within the drum. In the first section of the machine, the necessity for a roll 93 on one side of the drum may be eliminated by making the shaft 40 of a diameter such that it will support the strips 19.

ln the operation of the machine, tomatoes are supplied to the drum 16 through the chute 33, and pass axially through the drum as it is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction (Figs. 4, 5, and 7). In the first section of the machine the skins of the tomatoes are broken by the scarifying teeth 42; in the second section, the steam jets issuing from the slot 62 through the drum-slots 18 loosen the skins and partially separate them from the bodies of the tomatoes; and in the third section, the loosened skins hanging through the slots 18 are pinched between oppositely rotating rolls 88 and stripped from the tomatoes. Emerging from Vthe rear end of the drum 16, the tomatoes are conveyed away through a discharge chute 94.

Jets of steam and hot-water sprays have previously been used to loosen the skins of tomatoes preparatoryto peeling them, but IV have found that the peeling operation is made even easier if the skins of the tomatoes are broken before the scalding operation. With the skins broken before scalding, the scalding operation seems to enlarge breaks in the skin and the skin tends to peel back away from the breaks in it.

The tumbling action to which the tomatoes are subjected by rotation of the drum 16 also aids in loosening the skins. Tumbling, however is very hard to obtain, as the tomatoes are not spherical and slide readily on the inner surfaces of the strips 19. The rib 41 and teeth, as well as kthe jets of steam issuing from the slot 62, act

. upwardly on the lower surfaces of the tomatoesfand tend to lift the tomatoes upwardly clear of the strips 19, thus promoting the desired tumbling action.

As will be obvious from Fig. l0, although the tomatoes have a diameter Vmaterially greater than the width of the slots 18, they nevertheless protrude through such slots.V

Accordingly, it is not essential that the scarifying means mounted exteriorly of the drum extend into the interior of the drum through the slots 18, as suchl scarifying means could be located entirely outside. theV drum and arranged to act only on those portions of the tomatoes which protrude through the slots. In such event, it would still be desirable to confine the actual scarifying elements 42 or their equivalent to regions opposite the slotsV 18 in order to avoid interference between such elements andV the strips 19.

I claim as my invention: v

1. In a peeling machine, a frame, a cylindrical drum rotatably supported from said frame Vand provided in its wall with one or more generally circumferentiaily extending slots, a pair of peeling rolls disposedk beneath and adjacent to said drum and parallel'thereto, said rolls having contacting elastic surface portions and being sup:V ported `from said frame independently of said drum for respectiverotation about'stationary axes, means for rotating said drum, and means for rotating said rolls in opposite directions with their contacting surface portions moving away from the drum.

2. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition that there are a plurality of said pairs of rolls arranged in an arcuate series about a portion of the circumference of the drum.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2 with the addition that said drum includes flexible members defining the sides of said slots and capable of yielding outwardly under pressure exerted by contents of the drum.

4. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition that said drum includes flexible members defining the sides of said slots and capable of yielding outwardly under pressure exerted by contents of the drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Dunkley July 21, 1914 Burdick Feb. 27, 1917 Cooley Jan. 1, 1918 Schaller June 14, 1921 McCabe Ian. 2, 1923 Harding Mar. 13, 1923 Knapp July 31, 1923 Miller Sept. 4, 1923 Lowe Apr. 13, 1926 Nevills Apr. 8, 1930 Denner et a1. Mar. 5, 1935 Perez Feb. 7, 1939 Thompson Oct. 31, 1939 Urschel Nov. 21, 1939 Allan June 23, 1942 Lowe Oct. 19, 1943 Meyer Mar. 4, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany July 25, 1901 France Dec. 19, 1929 

